Advanced search

Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions ›› 2016, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (3): 187-195.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2016.00187

• ARTICLES • Previous Articles    

Wind tunnel simulation of the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on soil erosion in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

ShengBo Xie, JianJun Qu, Tao Wang   

  1. Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification/Dunhuang Gobi and Desert Research Station/State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
  • Received:2016-02-22 Revised:2016-02-22 Published:2018-11-23
  • Contact: ShengBo Xie,Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences,No.320,West Donggang Road,Lanzhou,Gansu 730000,China.E-mail:xieshengbo@lzb.ac.cn E-mail:xieshengbo@lzb.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    This research project was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.41401611),the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant Nos.2014M560817 and 2015T81069),one of Special Fund for Forest Scientific Research in the Public Welfare (201504401),the Science and Technology Program of Gansu Province (Grant No.145RJZA118).

PDF (PC)

429

Abstract: Intense freezing and thawing actions occur in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau because of its high elevation and cold temperature.The plateau's unique environment makes it easy to generate wind erosion under dry,windy weather conditions,resulting in the emergence of desertification.As a major form of freeze-thaw erosion,freeze-thaw and wind erosion is displayed prominently on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.Therefore,in this study,soil samples were collected from the surface of the plateau to undergo freeze-thaw and wind erosion simulation experiments.Results show that wind erosion strength increases with an increasing number of freeze-thaw cycles,water content in the freezing-thawing process,and the difference in freeze-thaw temperatures.Therefore,in the conditions of water participation,the main reason for the freeze-thaw and wind erosion in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the damage to the soil structure by repeated,fierce freeze-thaw actions,and the sand-bearing wind is the main driving force for this process.The research results have theoretical significance for exploring the formation mechanism of freeze-thaw and wind erosion in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,and provide a scientific basis for freeze-thaw desertification control in the plateau.

Key words: freeze-thaw cycles, wind erosion strength, wind tunnel simulation, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Dong GR, Li CZ, Jin J, et al., 1987. Some results of the wind tunnel simulation experiment of soil erosion. Chinese Science Bulletin, 32(4):297-301.
Dong RK, Xu ZY, Yang CY, 2000. Dynamic and characteristic of freezing-thawing erosion on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 14(4):12-16. DOI:10.13870/j.cnki.stbcxb.2000.04.003.
Edwin JC, Anthony JG, 1979. Effect of freezing and thawing on permeability and structure of soils. Engineering Geology, 13(1-4):73-92. DOI:10.1016/0013-7952(79)90022-X.
Fan HM, Cai QG, 2003. Review of research progress in freeze-thaw erosion. Science of Soil and Water Conservation, 1(4):50-55.
Formanek GE, McCool DK, Papendick RI, 1984. Freeze-thaw and consolidation effects on strength of a wet silt loam.Transactions of the ASAE, 27(6):1749-1752. DOI:10.13031/2013.33040.
Güllü H, Khüdir A, 2014. Effect of freeze-thaw cycles on unconfined compressive strength of fine-grained soil treated with jute fiber, steel fiber and lime. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 106-107:55-65. DOI:10.1016/j.coldregions.2014.06.008.
Kok H, McCool DK, 1990. Quantifying freeze/thaw-induced variability of soil strength. Transactions of the ASAE, 33(2):501-506. DOI:10.13031/2013.31357.
Konrad JM, 1989. Physical processes during freeze-thaw cycles in clayey silts. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 16(3):291-303. DOI:10.1016/0165-232X(89)90029-3.
Kurylyk BL, MacQuarrie KTB, McKenzie JM, 2014. Climate change impacts on groundwater and soil temperatures in cold and temperature regions:Implications, mathematical theory, and emerging simulations tools. Earth-Science Reviews, 138:313-334. DOI:10.1016/j.earscirev.2014.06.006.
Kurylyk BL, Watanabe K, 2013. The mathematical representation of freezing and thawing processes in variably-saturated, non-deformable soils. Advances in Water Resources, 60:160-177. DOI:10.1016/j.advwatres.2013.07.016.
Lee W, Bohra NC, Altschaeffl AG, 1995. Resilient modulus of cohesive soils and the effect of freeze-thaw. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 32(4):559-568. DOI:10.1139/t95-059.
Li S, Gao SY, Yang P, et al., 2005. Some problems of freeze-thaw desertification in the Tibetan Plateau:a case study on the decertification regions of the western and northern plateau.Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 27(4):476-485.
Mostaghimi S, Young RA, Wilts AR, et al., 1988. Effects of frost action on soil aggregate stability. Transactions of the ASAE, 31(2):435-439. DOI:10.13031/2013.30727.
Sharratt BS, Lindstrom MJ, Benoit GR, et al., 2000. Runoff and soil erosion during spring thaw in the northern U.S. Corn belt.
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 55(4):487-494.
Wang DY, Ma W, Niu YH, et al., 2007. Effects of cyclic freezing and thawing on mechanical properties of Qinghai-Tibet clay.
Cold Regions Science and Technology, 48(1):34-43. DOI:10.1016/j.coldregions.2006.09.008.
Wang F, Fan HM, Guo CJ, et al., 2008. Comparison and analysis of climate environmental variation in two main freeze-thaw erosion regions in China. Ecology and Environment, 17(1):173-177.
Wang L, Shi ZH, Wu GL, et al., 2014. Freeze/thaw and soil moisture effects on wind erosion. Geomorphology, 207:141-148.DOI:10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.10.032.
Williams RBG, Robinson DA, 2001. Experimental frost weathering of sandstone by various combinations of salt. Earth Surface Processes and Landform, 26(8):811-818. DOI:10.1002/esp.227.
Xie SB, Qu JJ, Lai YM, et al., 2015. Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on soil mechanical and physical properties in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Journal of Mountain Science, 12(4):999-1009. DOI:10.1007/s11629-014-3384-7.
Yang MX, Yao TD, Gou XH, et al., 2007. Diurnal freeze/thaw cycles of the ground surface on the Tibetan Plateau. Chinese Science Bulletin, 52(1):136-139. DOI:10.1007/s11434-007-0004-8.
Zhang JG, Liu SZ, Yang SQ, 2007. The classification and assessment of freeze-thaw erosion in Tibet. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 17(2):165-174. DOI:10.1007/s11442-007-0165-z.
[1] Stuart A. Harris, HuiJun Jin, RuiXia He, SiZhong Yang. Tessellons, topography, and glaciations on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau [J]. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2018, 10(3): 187-206.
[2] ShengYun Chen, Qian Zhao, WenJie Liu, Zhao Zhang, Shuo Li, HongLin Li, ZhongNan Nie, LingXi Zhou, ShiChang Kang. Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on soil N2O concentration and flux in the permafrost regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau [J]. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2018, 10(1): 69-79.
[3] Tuncer B. Edil, Bora Cetin, Ali Soleimanbeigi. Laboratory and field performance of recycled aggregate base in a seasonally cold region [J]. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2017, 9(3): 183-191.
[4] XiaoLi Chang, HuiJun Jin, RuiXia He, LanZhi Lü, Stuart A. Harris. Evolution and changes of permafrost on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the Late Quaternary [J]. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2017, 9(1): 1-19.
[5] YuZhong Yang, QingBai Wu, HuiJun Jin, Peng Zhang. δ18O,δD and d-excess signatures of ground ice in permafrost in the Beiluhe Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China [J]. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2017, 9(1): 38-45.
[6] FengFeng Lei, WanYin Luo, ZhiBao Dong, YingZhu Sang, LiZhu Luo, Gang Huang, Hua Liu, QiZhang Chen. An investigation of the effects of dust storms on rat lung using HRCT and blood gas analysis [J]. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2016, 8(4): 319-324.
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited
  Shared   
  Discussed   
No Suggested Reading articles found!